Firms were counting their losses after a nationalist march turned swathes of Brighton and Hove into a no-go area.

Individual businesses are thought to have lost tens of thousands of pounds worth of Sunday trade after the March for England and counter demonstration passed through the city.

Many shops and restaurants which lined the route closed, with shoppers and customers avoiding town even after it ended.

Meanwhile The Dorset and Infinity Foods on North Road suffered property damage after rival protesters hurled furniture and glasses at each other before horrified shoppers.

Gavin Stewart, manager of the Brighton Business Improvement District (BID), said: “Given the police presence that was focussed on the march area, it made the seafront a nogo area until late in the day.

“The impact on restaurants and businesses in the southern end of East Street and surrounding area was dire.”

Terre à Terre and Indian Summer, both on East Street, cancelled tables and warned customers to stay away.

Olivia Reid, of Terre à Terre, said: “Most businesses on East Street closed. It was completely dead, nobody was in town and the negative impact carried on into the evening.

“It’s a very upsetting thing to happen in our city – the worst combination of people in a confined space.

“Communication with the police was better this year but only because we demanded it.”

The Tourism Alliance called for marchers to foot the bill in future.

Chairwoman Soozie Campbell said: “It is going to take some time to add up the total cost but individual businesses have lost tens of thousands so it is going to be a big number.

“I think the organisers should be asked to shoulder the costs in future.

“Other big events that require this level of policing are required to pay for it.

“It was hard to work out what benefit the event brought to anyone.”

The nationalist march coincided with the final day of the Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival spring harvest, which was relatively unaffected.

Managing director Nick Mosley said: “Many thousands of people came. I think we provided a haven of sanctuary for residents and visitors to enjoy a positive aspect of the city, in an otherwise rather negative and, at times, frightening day.”

Mr Mosley called for a working group to create a strategy in dealing with future protests.